On February 20, 2023, the Government Office issued Notice No. 37/TB-VPCP ("Notice 37") summarizing the conclusions of the Prime Minister at the Conference on evaluating the implementation of regulations on the working relationship between the Government and the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor in 2022 and identify key tasks in coordination in 2023. At the Conference, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor ("VGCL") provided a number of proposals to amend and improve the legal system to protect the interests of employees, specifically as follows:
1. Supplementation of policies to protect the interests of employees in industrial parks and export processing zones
- Building trade union institutions in industrial parks and export processing zones. This issue is assigned to the Ministry of Construction to preside over and is put into the Project of "Investment in the construction of at least 01 million social housing apartments for low-income people and industrial park workers in the period of 2021-2030".
- Develop preschool education in areas having industrial parks and export processing zones. This issue is assigned to the Ministry of Education and Training to preside over the study and to seek for advise of the Prime Minister to promulgate the Project on development of preschool education institutions and improve the quality of care and education of children from 06 to 36 months old who are workers’children in areas having industrial parks and export processing zone in the period of 2023 – 2030.
2. Completion and supplementation of regulations on lawsuits of trade unions and sanctions for handling violations of the law on social insurance
Accordingly, VGCL shall work closely with MOLISA and government agencies to amend the Law on Social Insurance, the Trade Union Law and guiding documents to ensure the effectiveness and feasibility of these regulations, limiting and appropriately handling payment evasion, payment delay, or profiteering of social insurance, health insurance, in order to protect the interests of employees.
3. Regarding the implementation of support policies for employees getting working hour reduce, employment contract termination due to the order cutdown of enterprises
Comply with the direction of the Prime Minister in Documentary No. 235/VPCP-KGVX dated January 12, 01 of the Government Office.
4. Regarding the determination of the annual regional minimum wage on the basis of collecting information on the minimum living standard of workers and their families
The Ministry of Planning and Investment should study to submit to the National Wage Council for consideration.
Comment: